Nuggets fall in 4 to NAIA No. 17 Georgetown (Ky.)

BOWLING GREEN, Kentucky — It was the type of performance that longtime Xavier University of Louisiana volleyball fans had been waiting for: The Gold Nuggets jump out early against a ranked opponent, then maintain the momentum.
     
Unfortunately for the Gold Nuggets, that described just the third set of their match against Georgetown (Ky.), the NAIA's 17th-ranked team. The Tigers prevailed 25-20, 25-18, 19-25, 25-15, and XULA ended Friday with a split of its two matches in the season-opening Mid-South Crossover Challenge.
     
"The third set we were more consistent than we were in the other three," XULA coach Pat Kendricksaid. "We were taking care of the ball better in the third. When you do that, good things happen."
     
XULA never trailed in the third set against the Tigers (2-0) and led 8-2, 13-5 and 19-12. But in the other three sets the Tigers pulled away late.
     
The Gold Nuggets led 14-13 in the opening set before Georgetown took control with a 6-1 run. It was 16-all in the next set, then the Tigers exerted their will with a 7-2 run. In the final set the teams were tied at 11, then Georgetown got two aces and a kill from Jessica Tapp during a 9-1 run.
     
Tapp led Georgetown with 13 kills, 10 digs, two aces and two blocks. Madison Mudd had nine kills, and Sarah Snyder had eight kills and five blocks.
     
XULA sophomores Kayla Black and Eva Le Guillou produced double-doubles for the second time Friday. Black had 15 kills and 15 digs — she also hit .414 in 29 attacks — and Le Guillou produced 31 assists, 13 digs and two aces.
     
Vivica Price-Spraggins had nine kills and four blocks and hit .474 for the Gold Nuggets. Jordan Johnson had three blocks, giving her nine for the day, and Beatrice Formilan had 14 digs. Johnson and Formilan are freshmen.
     
XULA began the day with a four-set victory against Cumberlands.
     
Kendrick's assessment of the day? "We did some good things, and there are a number of things we can work on," she said. "It's August, so we've got the time to work on those things.
     
"But we did some nice things, and it was a good start to the season."
     
Georgetown outhit XULA .195 to .119 and had advantages of 48-45 in kills and 8-4 in aces. Both teams recored seven blocks, and XULA led 67-64 in digs.
     
XULA fell to 0-14 all-time against top-25 opponents. But the Gold Nuggets will get another chance Saturday to end that drought when they play NAIA No. 22 Indiana Wesleyan at 2 p.m. XULA's other match in the Crossover Challenge will start at 10 a.m. against Pikeville.

BOX SCORE

Ed Cassiere, Assistant Athletic Director for Communications
XULAgold.com
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA 
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